By Michael Cockerill

27 April 2017 — 10:04am

Even if Perth Glory are killed off by Sydney FC in Saturday night's semi-final – as seems likely – one thing is for certain. They're back from the dead.

Two years ago the salary cap scandal – exposed by this newspaper – almost brought the Glory to their knees. To say they've rebounded is an understatement. Not just on the field, but off it. A club on the move, at last.

Twice national champions in the NSL, Perth are slowly but surely starting to scale the same heights. Talk of another championship remains premature – their record against the Sky Blues is woeful and this, after all, is Sydney FC's best-ever team. But they're on the way. For those who understand the potential of a vibrant Glory, these are developments worth celebrating.

First, the facts. Crowds this season are up by 17 per cent. The average (10,533) is their best of the A-League era, and makes them the sixth-most popular team in the competition. Memberships are up 21 per cent, climbing to 8600, around midpoint in the league. More significantly, a recent survey by the FFA found that Glory members were the most satisfied among all 10 clubs. Sponsorships have stayed steady, thanks in no small part by the decision of long-time major sponsors QBE to remain loyal in the wake of the salary cap drama. Matchday corporate hospitality has also increased.

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Good times: The Glory are on their way to becoming one of the A-League's big guns.Credit:Getty Images

So in spite of their recent tribulations, the Glory have grown to become a $10 million business. Long-time owner Tony Sage, who went close to selling up when the salary cap breaches hit the headlines, chose to remain and is glad he did. Less outspoken than he used to be – at least in public – Sage's passion remains undimmed, but his decision to give new chief executive Peter Filopoulos plenty of autonomy has worked a treat. The much-improved "metrics" are testament to Filopoulos' ability to rebuild bridges and thus rebuild the Glory's tattered reputation. The license is now said to be worth more than $10 million.

Then there's the likely demise of Western Force, a black cloud for Perth sport that may have a silver lining for the Glory. Not only will they potentially get nib Stadium all to themselves, and perhaps benefit from disenfranchised rugby fans drifting to football, but they could also inherit the Force's state-of-the-art headquarters at Mount Claremont, within walking distance of the training fields at McGillivray Oval. The pieces are gradually falling into place.

"If we continue the way we're going, we can become a top-four club," says Filopoulos. "That's what excites me, that's why I moved my family over here [from Melbourne]. The potential is huge."

That much we know already from the Glory days in the NSL under former owner Nick Tana. Indeed a four-year strategic plan unveiled last year, which targets memberships of 10,000 and average crowds of 12,500, looks like it could be worth more than the shiny paper it's written on. It may be an exaggeration to say the local football community has fallen back in love with the Glory, but it's starting to warm to them. No mean feat.

The missing link, of course, is an A-League title. The closest the Glory have come was in 2012, when a hugely contentious Besart Berisha penalty got Brisbane Roar home in the grand final. The scar still runs deep for Sage, and to this day Berisha is booed every time he heads west. But while the final hurdle still looks beyond Perth, finals appearances over the two seasons since the salary cap scandal has put them among the genuine contenders.

Better than that, the recruitment of Spanish star Diego Castro has put the smile back in the dressing room, literally. Castro was the league's best player last season, and will again go close to retaining the Johnny Warren Medal at next Monday's black tie dinner.

Castro's quality, and demeanour, has brought the best out of the supporting cast, many of whom are local players brought back to their hometown club from overseas and elsewhere in the league. That emotional investment is reflected in the Glory's heart-on-the-sleeve style, epitomised best of all by the sideline antics of coach Kenny Lowe. Perth may not be the most sophisticated team in the league, but they're among the most motivated. Play the Glory, and you know you've been in a game.

At a time when the league is stagnating, the upside of having the Glory back among the big boys is one of the few bright spots. Sydney FC are, in all likelihood, about to put their title hopes to the sword, but the Glory will be back and are well on the way to becoming bigger and better than ever before.